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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24658897">Carhops and Change</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSuccubiQueen/pseuds/TheSuccubiQueen'>TheSuccubiQueen</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Promare (2019)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Carhop Galo, Drabble, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 04:15:52</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,564</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24658897</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSuccubiQueen/pseuds/TheSuccubiQueen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Lio is a frequent customer of his local Sonic Drive-In during his Summer Vacation. Whether he's there for the milkshakes, or to check out a certain blue-haired Carhop is up for debate.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Lio Fotia/Galo Thymos</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>103</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Carhops and Change</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Twitter user @auva_png made a single tweet about Galo being a carhop at Sonic, and the specter of manic writing seized me. I'm from the American South, and since moving out of the states, the comfort of a Sonic Milkshake is something I truly miss, and basically everything in this fic is inspired by actual experiences I've had at the Sonic in my hometown over the years.</p><p>Tip your carhops, kids.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was approximately 400 fucking degrees on this July Day, and Lio really wanted a milkshake.<br/>
<br/>
Okay, sure, he found an excuse to go to the Sonic down the road from the Y and get an extra large milkshake pretty much every week, but there were a variety of reasons for that.</p><p>Sometimes, he told himself that he was trying to sample and review every possible flavor combination for Meis and Guiera, who had never even <em> heard </em> of a Sonic Drive-In before they became friends with Lio at their university. Other times, he claimed it was because it got so hot in his hometown, and only ice cream could save him from a heatstroke.</p><p>But, it was actually a lot more simple than that.</p><p>Almost as if it were clockwork, as soon as he pulled his green prius into the parking spot next to a kiosk, his phone went off with a bright <em> DING </em>.</p><p>He rolled the window down, checking his phone with the other. It was Thyma. </p><p>“Send pics of carhop butt today :)" </p><p>He groaned, tossing his phone in the passenger seat, and turning off the ignition. He huffed for a second, trying to decide if it was worth it to place his order when his face was so red.</p><p>Instead, he grabbed his phone again, and typed out a response to Thyma. “Fuck off.” No way was he sneaking pictures of Galo just to send to her.</p><p>As if on cue, the clatter of roller skates rushed by his car, and Lio had to keep himself from ogling. He managed to restrain himself to simply staring.</p><p>But it was hard not to stare at Galo. Well over 6 Feet, with broad shoulders that tapered to a small waist, with a shock of bright blue hair that must have been the magnum opus of whatever stylist had created it, Galo was basically the poster boy for a classic diner beefcake. And he was hot shot on his roller skates, gliding back and forth from the tiny kitchen so gracefully he might have been born on them. </p><p>And that was not to mention how completely incredible his ass looked in those black pants.</p><p>Galo turned on his skates, opening the door to the internal kitchen with his back. For a moment, he locked eyes with Lio, and, with a wide grin, flashed him a wink.</p><p>Lio thought his heart might stop.</p><p>He waited a moment for his heart to stop racing, scrolling through instagram on his phone. The usual stuff, it seemed- the rest of his gang was off on beach trips or summer studies somewhere, and here was Lio, back in his hometown, working at the fucking YMCA.</p><p>He pressed the blinking red button on the kiosk, and waited for someone to pick up.</p><p>“Hello, welcome to Sonic, can I take your order?” Even through the harsh crackle of the speaker, Galo’s voice was easy to recognize, bright and energetic, with the softest gravel to it, like he spent more time yelling than speaking. </p><p>“Uh, yeah, can I get uhh..” What kind of milkshake had he not had yet? “A peanut butter cookie shake and a large tater tot?”</p><p>“What size on the shake?” Galo asked.</p><p>“Medium’s fine.”</p><p>“Whipped cream?”</p><p>“Yeah, please.” Lio responded, digging around in his pockets for his wallet. As he opened it, he swore slightly. He had given his coworker his credit card to buy him coffee earlier and never gotten it back.</p><p>“Cash or Card?” Galo interrupted his panic.</p><p>“Uh… one second.” Lio opened the billfold of his wallet, doing mental calculation. He had a five dollar bill, but luckily it was 3:30, so their weird happy hour snack special was still going. He could afford it.</p><p>“Cash, please.”</p><p>“Oh, does that mean you’re finally gonna tip me, Mr. Gold Card?” Galo laughed. “That’ll be 5.02, have that out in just a minute!” The receiver clicked off, leaving Lio to stare at the tiny screen displaying his order.</p><p>Tip?</p><p>He spent a moment trying to figure out what Galo meant, before realizing his single five dollar bill left him two cents short.</p><p>After about 2 minutes of digging around in his wallet, pockets, between his seats, and in his glove box, Lio managed to turn up a few receipts, a pen he thought he had lost 6 months ago, and a single nickel.</p><p>He was just in time to see Galo slide out of the glass door of the kitchen, spinning effortless on his skates, before smoothly gliding his way to Lio’s car. The way his broad shoulders flowed back and forth with each step was hypnotic, and once again, Lio found himself staring up at the other man, who came to a pinpoint stop just in front of Lio’s side mirror.<br/>
<br/>
“Large Tot and a medium Peanut Butter Cookie shake?” Galo asked, holding out the tiny bag holding Lio’s tater tots. He had to bend over so his face was level with the low window of Lio’s Prius, and Lio found himself sneaking a glance at the tempting line of Galo’s hips, the way the black pants hugged the curve of his butt. </p><p>Lio eyed the styrofoam cup in Galo’s drink tray. He’d been to this Sonic twice a week all summer, and by this point, he knew how their sizes worked. “That’s a large shake.” He told the Galo, taking the paper bag, acutely aware of where their fingers brushed.<br/>
<br/>
Galo looked at the milkshake, a sarcastic frown on his face. “Is it? Whoops.” He grinned at Lio, a smile somewhere between wolfish and puppy-like, brimming with an air of confidence, but also genuine affection.</p><p>He held out the shake. “Unless you want me to remake it?”</p><p>Lio put his hand on the cup, letting his fingers rest atop Galo’s for a moment. “Oh, no, it’s fine. Simple mistake.” He returned Galo’s grin with a smirk of his own, one that Thyma had once called his “Evil Dom Smile."</p><p>Galo’s smile faltered for a second, and Lio couldn’t ignore the sense of satisfaction that rushed up his spine. “Uh, so yeah, it’s uh, 5.02 for it all.” Gale stammered, pulling his hand back a little too quickly.</p><p>Lio handed Galo the 5 dollar bill, and the nickel he had found on his futile quest for change. “Hey, so uh, what did you mean, with that joke about tips?” He asked, unwrapping his straw and sliding it into his shake, wiggling it just a bit to make sure it didn't get stuck in the thick milkshake.<br/>
<br/>
Galo gave a dismissive wave. “Oh, you always pay with a card, so I had a feeling you didn’t know. Carhops are technically servers, so we make server pay.” He shrugged. “Not a huge deal, just a bit of a let down when my favorite customer never tips me.”<br/>
<br/>
Lio was too flustered by the statement about not tipping to even notice that Galo had just called him his favorite customer. “Wait, the card machine doesn’t even give me an option to tip- I just thought you all made-”<br/>
<br/>
“Yeah, no, I know. Trust me, it’s no big deal.” Galo said, tucking his bright red tray under his arm, and flashing another assuring smile.</p><p>“No, it’s a big deal- I’ve spent like 200 bucks here this month alone and you’re telling me you work for tips- fuck.” This was probably the most embarrassing thing to ever happen to Lio- he was always arguing with his family to make sure they tipped fairly everywhere, how the hell had he not known this? “Shit, I feel awful. What can I do to make it up to you?”</p><p>Galo paused, putting a hand to his chin as he thought for a moment. “Uhh, there’s a movie I wanna see?” He asked cautiously, giving Lio a look that was almost shy.<br/>
<br/>
It was heart-stoppingly cute. “Perfect- does Friday work?” Lio asked, grabbing his newly found pen and holding it out to Galo. “Write your number on the receipt and we can work out the details when you’re not on the clock.”</p><p>Galo smiled, and bent over Lio’s car, using the roof as a surface to scroll his number onto the receipt. “Sure thing. I guess I’ll see you Friday.. Uhh-”<br/>
<br/>
“Lio. See you Friday, Galo.” </p><p>Galo handed Lio the receipt, and with a lean back, he rolled away, before executing another turn. It would have been quite dazzling, if he hadn’t been going too fast, and stumbled over the raised pavement of the picnic area, landing on one of the silicon and metal picnic tables.</p><p>Lio snorted on his milkshake, coming dangerously to getting peanut butter and cookie bits up his nose. He spluttered for a second, frowning at the gritty texture of the cookie bits. This flavor was not a winner.</p><p>Galo flashed him a sheepish smile, and waved, hurrying back to the kitchen.<br/>
<br/>
Then it occurred to Lio. Had he just asked Galo on a date?</p><p>He pulled out his phone, opened his browser, and looked up what server pay was in this state.</p><p>When the result pulled up, he choked on his milkshake. Just over 2 dollar an hour. How was that not criminal?</p><p>He was resolved now. He would be taking Galo on the nicest date ever on Friday. As soon as he got his credit card back.</p>
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